1. Name and Meaning
• Name: Eleazar (Greek: Ἐλεάζαρ, Eleazar; Hebrew: אֶלְעָזָר, ʾElʿāzār)
• Meaning: “God has helped,” from El (God) and ʿāzār (to help)
2. Genealogical Placement and Lineage Role
• Position: Fifty-sixth generation from Adam; forty-sixth generation after the flood in the Messianic line
• Father: Eliud – a descendant in the post-exilic Davidic succession
• Son: Matthan – continued the genealogical line leading to Joseph
• Lineage Role: Key figure in the legal Davidic lineage during the late Second Temple period, contributing to the ancestry of Jesus through Joseph
3. Life Summary and Historical Setting
• No recorded narrative or biographical details in Scripture
• Lived in the late Second Temple period, possibly under Hasmonean or early Roman rule in Judea
• Part of the final generational bridge between post-exilic obscurity and the incarnation of Christ
4. Theological and Christological Significance
• His name (“God has helped”) resonates with the overarching redemptive theme of divine assistance and preservation
• Serves as a silent yet crucial link in God’s covenantal promise through the Davidic line
• Supports Jesus’ legal claim to the Davidic throne through Joseph, as documented in Matthew’s Gospel
5. Legacy and Interpretive Reflections
• Though unnamed in any narrative account, Eleazar represents the continuity of divine purpose across obscure generations
• His inclusion affirms Matthew’s structured emphasis on historical and theological legitimacy
• Emblematic of the faithful who carried forward God’s promise in quiet, uncelebrated roles
6. Summary Insight
• Eleazar’s place in the genealogy of Christ underscores that divine help often comes through quiet succession—his role reflects God’s unseen hand guiding salvation history.
7. Biblical References
• Matthew 1:15